Thousands of lung cancer cases detected in lorry clinics

A lung-cancer screening programme that sees mobile clinics visit local communities in England has detected the disease earlier in more than 5,000 people.

Specially adapted lorries have been visiting supermarkets, football grounds and town centres in areas with the highest rates of the disease, as part of the biggest initiative of its kind in NHS history.

Since the programme's launch, in 2019, 5,037 lung cancers have been detected, with 76% of those at the earliest stages of the disease.

People are nearly 20 times more likely to survive for five years if their cancer is detected early, experts say.

Phil Bennett, from Droylsden, Manchester, counts himself lucky.

At first, he ignored a letter inviting him to be screened at one of the mobile clinics.

He had no symptoms and was too busy with work as a self-employed decorator. But when he did take up the offer, it was discovered he had stage-one lung cancer.

And its early detection made a huge difference to his chances of beating the disease.

Read full story

Source: The Independent, 8 November 2024